Loading and unloading machine.



(i. GAWLET.

LADINGANU UNLUADING MACHlNE.

APPUCATION FILED 00129, |917A 2 SHEEIS SHELI lov/ 5g. 36 52 G. GAWLET.

LOADING AND UNLoAmN MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DCT. 29. ISH.

' Patented July 1b', 1918.

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UNITED STATES GREGORY GAWLET, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

LOADING AND UNLOADING IVIAGIJIIIUEIA Application filed October 29 1917.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, GREGORY (lawmcr, a.- subject of the Emperor of Ger any, residing,r at Los Angeles, in the county of Los' Angeles and State of California, have invent-ed new and useful Improvements in Loadinfr and Unloading Machines, of which the folibwing is a speclfication.

This invention relates to conveyer mechanism and particularly pertains to a loading;r and unloading machine, especially adapted for use in carrying loose material from freight cars and the like.

It is the principal object of thisl invention to provide a portable conveying mechanism which may be adjustably positioned within a freight car or other vehicle bodies and will gather and elevate material therefrom and transfer it to a point alongside the car.

Another object of this invention is to provide means whereby the conveying mechanism ma \v be allowed to swin horizontally and vertically and to he positively moved tht` length of the car as the unloading operation proceeds.

Another object of this invention is to provide a conveying mechanism which may be readily folded and placed compactly in an inoperative position for transfer from one location t0 another.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated. b v \va v of example. in the accompanyingr drawings in which:

Figure 1 is n view in perspective illustratingg` the Conveying mechanism as disposed in operative position in relation to a freight, car of the gondola type whirh here shown in a fragmentary ma nner.

Fig. 2 is a View in transverse Isection as' Seen yon thc line 2u-.2 of Fig. t and particularly discloses tht` mast construction.

Fig. 3 is a view in plan illustrating tho manner in which the unloading: mechanism is disposed alongside the car and partienlarly discloses the manner in which the cntire mechanism is advanced as the unloading ope 1ation proceeds.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l() indicatesa trnclr comprising a flat horizontal hed portion 1l and a running gear consisting oiZ wheels l2. These wheels are of dili'crential diameter, and have hanged portions 13 t'or use when the truck is to be rnn on a track 1l. and have en` largrd Awheel portions 1T l'or use when the Specitlcation of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Serial No. 199,054.

truck is to be moved along the ground. then the truck is used in its present embodiment. it is disposed alongside a freight car`1i3'which is on a track 17 parallel to the track 14.

A turn-table 18 mounted upon the bed 11 of the truck and is adapted to support the sub-frame 19 of the conveying mochanism 2() with which the present invention is particularl)v concerned. This sub-frame is composed ot' a pair of side. bars 21 which are connected by transverse f rame members 22 to t'orm a rigid structure which is mounted upon a turn-pin 23 around which the turntable 18 is conrentrirnlly arranged. Rollers :24 are rotatably .secured to the sulrframe and allow it to be easily moved along the turudable. Bearing plates ill' and 26 arc Secured to the posts 2T and 28 of the suhframe and provide suitable mountings for a jack-shaft 29 h v which the conveying mechanism is driven in a manner which will be hereinafter set forth. Pivot plates 30 and Ill are rotatabl)- mounted upon the jackshaft 29 to support a mast 32. This mast consists of a pair ot' .spaced guide channels and 3l which arr` secured in lixcd rela` tion to each other at their upper ends by transverse Jframe members aud 36. The grooves of the channels extend inwardly to provide a guideovay.

The guide-wav toi-mcd b v the channels 33 and Ill is designed to receive guide rollers 3T and it which arc positioned at opposite ends ol' trame sha t'ts 3!) and 4U composing a part ot' he conveyer carriage. This carriage is completed by obliqnely inclined extension hars 41 and 42 which extend outwardl)v and are fitted with bearings 43 through which an elevator shaft 44 is rotatably mounted. Vertical frame members 45 connect the oblique. members 41 and 42 and provide a support t'or the carriage shaft 1G. This` shaft rotatably mounted within bearings` l? and 4H upon the members 45 and tilted with a bevel gear 4f) adapted to cvmstantl'v mesh with a bevel pinion 50. This pinion is splined to a vertical drive shaft 51 havin;r its bearings 52 and 53 secured to the side of the mast 3L to hold it in parallel relation to the mast. A slide bracket 54 engages the pinion 50 to cause it to slide along the shaft as the Vcarriage trame moves.

The shat't .'i is driven from a motor `titi mounted npon the sub-frame of the machine and in connection with the jack-shaft 29 by sprocket wheels 5G and 57 and a sprocket chain 58. r[he jack-shaft is provided with a bevel driving rear 59 in mesh with a drivinar pinion (SO fixed to the lower end of the shaft 51 and by which it is directly driven.

The rotary motion produced by the motor 55 is provided to drive an elevatingr mechanism (3l. and a conveying mechanism U2 at the lower end thereof. The elevating mechanism comprises a set of conveyer chains G3 and (54 between which elevating buckets 05 are disposed. These chains pass over sprockets (i6 and (57 secured upon the shaft 44, which, as previously described1 is held for rotation at the outer end of the carriage. This shaft is driven by a sprocket chain 68 which passes around a sprocket 69 secured to the end of the shaft 44 and a sprocket 70 secured to the end of the carringe shaft 46. The conveyer chains 63 and 64. pass around sprockets 71. and 72 at their lowermost points of travel. These sprockets are fixed to a shaft` 73 rotatably held with`- in bearings 74 at` the lower end of distance rods- 75 and 70 which are pivotally mount ed at their upper ends upon the shaft 44. Spacing arms 77 are provided at the lower ends of the distance rods to hold the elevating mechanism from Contact with the Side of the car body, and are fitted at their outer ends with rollers 78.

In order that the material to be elevated may be reached by the elevating mechanism` the conveying mechanism GQ is pivotally disposed at the lower end 'of the elevating mechanism to extend across the car. This mechanism consists of a pair of radius rods 79 and 8O which are pivotally mounted by bearings around the shaft 73 and are supported at their outer ends by downturned arms 81 and 82 between which roller wheels 83 are rotatably secured. Handles 84 are also provided to allow the radius rods to be swung vertically, Mounted at the outer ends of the radius rods is a conveyer shaft 85 upon whichspro'ckets 86 and 87 are mounted. These sprockets are in meshwith sprocket chains 88 and 89 upon which raking bars 90 are mounted.l A shaft 91 is rotatably secured at the inner ends of the radius rods to support sprockets 92 and 93 around which the chains 88 and 89 pass. This shaft is driven by a sprocket wheel 94 secured at one end of the shaft 'and in mesh with a sprocket chain 95 passing around a driving sprocket 96. This last-named sprocket is secured at the end of an auxiliary shaft 97 rotatably mounted on the upper side of the radius rods and provided with a ,gear 98 in mesh with a similar gear 99 which is fixed on the end of the shaft Due to this construction the eonveyer mechanism may have radial movement in relation to the elevating mechanism without interruption of a delivery of power thereto.

'Ihe elevating and conveying mechanisms may be simultaneously adjusted throughout a vertical plane by means of the cable 100 which passes over a sheave 101 rotatably disposed at the upper end of the must 32. Thisl cable is then led downwardly around a drum 102 mounted upon a shaft 103 rotatably disposed across the lower end of the mast and adapted to be operated by a crank 104, through gears 105 and 10G.

The mast. may be adjustably tilted by means of crank arm 107 disposed upon the sub-frame and fitted with a pinion 108 in mesh with a rack 109. The rack is secured along the underrace of an adjustingr leg 110 which is pivotally connected at its upp r end to the mast.

In order that the entire elevating and t V\n vcying mechanism may be moved along t. e car as the unloading proceeds, a windlas 111 provided around which cables 112, 113 and 114 may be wound. These cables are lcd around pulleys 115 and 116 detachably secured at the forward end of the car. The cables are then brought back and secured to suitable hooks alongl the frame of the conveyer mechanism and the truck.

11i operation, the apparatus may be set up as shown in Fig. 1. This is accomplished by swinging the sub-frame of themast upon its turn-table until the Conveying and elevating mechanisms are in proper relation to the car.\ The mast may then be swung vertically and adjustably set by the crank arm 107 and the gearingr connected therewith. The carriage of the apparatus may then be adjusted vertically along the mast by Winding or unwinding the cable 100 by the mech` anism previously described. .When so adjusted. the apparatus is ready for operation which is accomplished through power dc livorcd from the motor The rotation of the motor is imparted to the shaft 29 and thence by means of intervening gears 59 and (SO to the splined shaft 51. This shaft in turn drives carria e shaft 46 by means of gears 19 and 50,11 ter which the rotation of the shaft 4G will drive the shaft 47 and advance the elevating mechanism in the direction of the arrow -a. The chains 63 and (S4 of this mechanism will transmit power to the shaft 97 which will be delivered to the chains of the conveyer mechanism, which will be driven toward the elevatingmechanisni in the` direction of the arrow b-. The material collected by the mechanism will be fed into a chute 117. It is believed that the operation will otherwise he evident.

lVhen the use4 ofthe apparatus is not desired it may be folded u and carried away. This is accomplishe by swinging the conveying mechanism andl its radius arms upwardly in the direction ofthe ar- .ehine for elevating material from the ground 'and rdelivering it to a vehicle. The scope of operating being throughout a wide radius of travel, the conveyer construction makes the device especially valuable in unloading box cars through the door of which the conveyer may be extended.

It will thus be seen that the device here disclosed may be easily handled ,and carried from place to lace, after which it may be readily Set up or operation and due to its fiexibility of drive and adjustments will adapt itself to collect and elevate material in a thorough manner.

vhile I have shown the preferred construction of my loading and unloading machine as now known to me, it will be understood that' various changes in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art with* out departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

I cla-im:

1. A loading and unloading machine comprising a truck, a turn-table formed upon said truck, a mast extending upwardly from said turn-table and pivoted for swinging movement therefrom, an adjustable mechanism for regulating the angular disposition of the mast, a. conveyer carriage mounted upon the mast, means for adjustably disposing the conveyer carriage et points along' the mast, a vertically extending elevating mechanism pivotally secured to the carriage, a substantially horizontally extendingconveying mechanism pivoted to the lower end of the elevating mechanism, driving means, and means whereby said conveying vand elevating mechanisms may be continuously driven irrespective of their angular relation to each other and the carriage and irrespective of the adjusted position of the carnage upon the mast and the angular disposition of the mast.

2. A loading and unloading machine comprising a truck, a turn-table upon the truck, a mast extending upwardly from the turntable, a conveyer carriage slidingly connected to the mast, means for adj ustlng the conveyer carriage up and down on the mast, a vertically extending elevating mechanism pivotally secured to the carriage; said carriage serving to space the elevating mechanism from the mast so that the truck may be on one track and 'the elevating mechanism may extend over and down into a car upon another track; a horizontally extending conveying mechanism connected to the lower end of the elevating mechanism and adapted to rest upon the bottom of the car, and means for simultaneously advancing the truck, the vertical elevator, and the horizontal conveyer.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GREGORY GAWLET. 

